Wetlands and Wildlife: A Museum Outreach Project

A Collaboration Between the CLR and the Museum of Zoology

Introduction

In 2024, the CLR partnered with the Museum of Zoology to bring an exciting outreach programme to fenland schools, engaging 240 pupils (ages 8–11) across four primary schools. Over three sessions, students:

  • Explored wildlife in their school grounds.
  • Discovered local wildlife collections at the Museum.
  • Created collaborative artwork with artist Rebecca Cahill Roots for a Museum exhibition.

The programme culminated in an exhibition displayed throughout the summer holidays, attracting thousands of visitors.

Programme Highlights

We worked with schools across the Cambridgeshire Fens, building on our long-standing partnership with the Museum of Zoology and establishing new school connections.

Session 1: Exploring Wildlife in School Grounds

Students explored their school grounds with activities like:

  • Birdwatching.
  • Minibeast hunts.
  • Leaf rubbing to discover plants.

Each session began and ended with students listing wildlife they expected to see and what they actually observed. Their observations shifted from general terms (e.g., "birds, bugs, plants, worms") to specific species (e.g., "jackdaws, leopard slugs, green spider, orange fly")

Each school received a birdbath and a wildlife camera trap to support ongoing wildlife studies. On our next visit, pupils proudly showcased their camera trap photos on classroom walls.

Session 2: Museum Visit

Our researchers collaborated with the museum team to plan the sessions where students explored local fenland wildlife and discussed environmental challenges, such as balancing wildlife preservation with food production.

Activities included:

  • Viewing Museum bird collections and selecting meaningful or fascinating species.
  • Learning about past fenland species, like the swallowtail butterfly, and their absence today.

The pre-visit interaction with Museum staff helped students feel comfortable and engaged during their visit.

Session 3: Artist Workshop

Artist Rebecca Cahill Roots led a creative session where students designed animals inspired by the project. Using paper, card, and paint, their creations became part of a collaborative Museum display.

Each student signed their name on the exhibit’s fenland backdrop, symbolising their contribution as young artists.

Exhibition

The Wonderful Wetlands Wildlife exhibition was installed in summer 2024 in the Museum’s Communities Case, featuring a special event for pupils and their families. Over the summer, nearly 39,000 visitors explored the display, including more than 800 during a dedicated Wonderful Wetlands Wildlife family day in August. (See images above from the exhibition)

Impacts

The project left a lasting impact, especially among students who had never visited a museum before. Teachers praised the interactivity and relevance to the curriculum, noting how wildlife cameras sparked excitement and ongoing learning.

Teacher Feedback:

The children were so engaged, and seeing their work in a real museum was unforgettable for them."

"Many of the students had never seen wildlife up close – this project opened their eyes.

Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) through their funding for the Centre for Landscape Regeneration [grant number NE/W00495X/1]. Their support enabled meaningful inclusion and engagement with environmental sciences.